DECEMBER 2022 BOARD MEETING MINUTES
December Board Meeting
Dec. 21, 2022
DRAFT Minutes
1. Call to order and thank participating board members for their presence and welcome guest(s)
Michael Pastore, President, called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
Board Members present included: Michael Pastore, President; Abbey Bethel, President-Elect; Debby Brown, Secretary; Chris Currington, Secretary; Jim Dallas, Past President; Nancy Lambert; and Gary Toribio.
John Haas, SRG Member, asked and attended the meeting.
Michael thanked everyone for coming and welcomed John to the meeting.
2. Treasurer’s report
The money from the Oktoberfest beer booth has not been received yet. Michael Pastore said he was planning a beer booth for Mardi Gras, and they’re also working on a date for Smarty Gras (trivia night). Jim Dallas said he wasn’t sure if Smarty Gras would happen this year.
Chris Currington asked about the Soulard Golden Ale and any money that had been received (from an agreement with O’Fallon Brewery) from the sales in the neighborhood. The effective date of the contract was April 1, 2022, and the donations to SRG would be quarterly throughout a one-year term. There should have been a check at the end of June, end of September, and one at the end of December. Michael said he would call the representative at O’Fallon Brewery and check on what was happening.
Nancy Lambert discussed the expenses (between $10,000 and $11,000 at this point) for the Parlour Tour.
3. President’s report
a. 12 bars of Christmas
Michael Pastore said the 12 Bars of Charity (pub crawl fundraiser) happened the previous weekend, and it seemed more stable than the previous year. There were porta-potties and security present. It seems the organizer respected SRG’s (and other organizations’) requests for security, bus routes, porta-potties, etc. There was then a brief discussion about very few complaints and related behaviors, as well as how SRG and the Soulard Business Association (SBA) could promote involvement with the organizer to make the event better for the neighborhood. Michael suggested writing a thank you/appreciation letter to the 12 Bars of Charity organizer, and then share that letter at a General Membership meeting. Gary Toribio suggested that in the future, the organizer promote a number that can be called for trash pickup. There was then a discussion about bringing up the 12 Bars of Charity at a General Membership meeting, see if there are any complaints, and then plan a follow up with the event organizer.
b. Chouteau’s Landing
Michael Pastore said there’s a developer planning a $100 million renovation of businesses, apartments, hotels, etc. in Chouteau’s Landing (area north of Soulard near downtown St. Louis). Michael said he was approached about a letter of support, but he didn’t have enough information. He met with people at Chouteau’s Landing, but they’re not close to doing anything yet. Michael said that SRG, as an organization, isn’t in a position to commit to approval since there are no definitive plans and financing; only idea.
John Haas asked who was behind the funding. Michael said it was a company in New York. Michael said he had website links to what the developers want to do, and he’d send them to the Board. Gary Toribio said that SRG doesn’t know what the developer is going to do with an endorsement letter from the neighborhood, so he doesn’t support a letter at this time, especially if it were to be used to persuade anyone. Michael said he explained to the developer that SRG needs a lot more clearcut information before there would be any formal support from SRG.
c. Vacancy Initiative
Michael Pastore turned the discussion to a Neighborhood Vacancy Initiative and some communications that had been received. This organization is trying to help neighborhoods deal with abandoned properties. Michael said that he wants the leader of the Initiative to present to the SRG Board. Debby Brown said that she previously worked for a similar organization in Illinois, and it’s legitimate.
There was a discussion about the number of vacant properties in Soulard, what’s been bought, and what needs to be done.
4. Calypso and Garage Door Approval
Michael Pastore said the proposed Calypso bar/restaurant (across from the Great Grizzly Bear) is expanding the building’s footprint. The building now has giant garage doors, and Michael went over and took some pictures and sent them to Walker Hamilton, chair of the Plan Review Team Committee. Michael asked Calypso’s General Manager if he had approval for the garage doors. There were approval letters, but they’re for the roofline; not a blanket approval for the garage doors, too. There are some feelings that SRG was too slow in providing the appropriate information to the Cultural Resources Office (CRO) in the city to not give approval for the garage doors, and SRG wasn’t present at the hearing to object. CRO then takes it that SRG doesn’t care. Jim Dallas suggested Michael speak with Jay Gibbs, former chair of the PRT committee. Jim also said there were some emails he exchanged with Jay and Walker, but he’ll have to go back through them to see what was shared.
The discussion then turned to similar garage doors at Llywelyn’s that weren’t approved and not corrected, and the establishment didn’t address SRG’s concerns.
Jim talked about Calypso again – and said we need to look into what CRO approved and what’s actually being done. At some point, there may have been confusion because the neighborhood codes aren’t clear about garage doors. Michael said Walker works for the City of St. Louis and he knows when code review meetings happen and the agenda. Michael has asked Walker to advise him in advance, if he can, if anything in Soulard is on the agenda. Jim said that CRO sends the agenda to prt@soulard.org. Jay, Walker, and Jim get the agendas, and Jim looks to see if there are any Soulard properties on the agendas. It wasn’t until Jim became the PRT committee liaison that he figured out the process. Michael asked how far in advance they get the agendas. Jim said they get the preliminary agenda a couple weeks ahead of time, but the final agenda can be 60-80 pages long. Nancy Lambert said many don’t need the long agenda, but things with codes and quality have fallen through the cracks the last couple of years. Jim said there are times where there’s a difference between what we want done and what CRO approves. Going back to Calypso, Jim said we need to figure out what CRO approved and what they’re doing.
There was a brief discussion about the colors Calypso wants to use on their shutters. The discussion was left with a question about emailing Calypso and asking about their planned color schemes.
5. President-Elect Report
a. Nominating Committee
Abbey Bethel said that the Nominating Committee (for the next Board election) had its first meeting the previous Monday at 6 p.m. All members of the committee were at the meeting, and there’s a spreadsheet of potential candidates to reach out to. The plan is for the committee to meet the week of Jan. 9 to discuss who was contacted and interest level.
b. CID and The Clean Team
Abbey said the Soulard Community Improvement District (CID) reached out to her in response to an email sent to Terry Hoffman (Soulard CID director) about gathering broad community support for the funding grant (see below). The CID has asked SRG to support a Mardi Gras Foundation (MGF) filing (CID’s request) for the Trinity Church’s Clean Team, and $5,000-per-year, three-year commitment to support cleaning outside of the CID boundary. (It would be the CID’s money to clean inside the boundary, and MGF covering cleaning the areas outside the boundary.) Abbey asked the Board if it supports these allocations, and said that SRG has not been asked to donate.
Jim Dallas said the CID is going to give money to Trinity Church’s Clean Team to continue work that they claim they’ve been doing. There have been two competing Clean Teams – the other with Sts. Peter and Paul. Abbey confirmed that the proposition she brought up is with the Trinity Church Clean Team.
Jim asked for clarity about the Clean Team’s services. Abbey said it would be three people a day, four hours a day, five days a week, with pay at $12 an hour. Jim said that in order to expand outside the CID, the Clean Team has to find other funding sources, so they’re asking MGF to be that funding source. Michael Pastore said he had a couple of concerns, the biggest being the amount of money (a lot) that the CID has. The CID can pay Trinity and send the clean-up team wherever they want. Debby Brown asked if this is a violation of the CID’s rules. Michael said the CID has told people they can cover areas outside of the CID. Michael said his other concern is going to MGF for a grant, and taking away money for other things in the neighborhood.
There was a discussion about an expanded trash program and expanding the CID in general. This is a conversation that’s yet to be had. Gary Toribio said we were mixing up the discussion topic, and refocused on SRG not being asked for a donation to the Clean Team. Michael said Trinity has not reached out to SRG. Jim said that both the CID and Trinity have reached out to him, but it was suggested that they figure it out first.
There was a discussion about money that comes from the Mayor’s Ball (Mardi Gras Inc. event) and how it goes back to the neighborhood. There was also a discussion about SRG’s further support of the Clean Team, talking to Trinity, and expanding through SRG. Gary said that this way, Trinity and the Clean Team would be accountable to SRG, not the MGF grant.
Abbey said the question for the SRG Board is if it gives broad support. Jim asked if we need to provide a formal letter. Abbey said we don’t. Michael said that we support the Clean Team expanding to cover all of the Soulard neighborhood.
There was then a discussion about a motion and what the wording would be.
Jim Dallas made the motion to respond that “SRG supports the CID in its efforts to clean the entire neighborhood.” Gary Toribio seconded the motion.
The vote was taken.
All Board Members present voted in favor of the motion.
The motion was passed, and Abbey will respond to the Soulard CID.
6. Past President Reports
a. Codes of Conduct
Debby Brown suggested holding discussion about this topic until the whole Board was present. Michael agreed to discuss the Code of Conduct at the next Board meeting.
b. MGF Grant and Fence
Jim Dallas said that the Soulard Station (Station) is having issues with vagrancy, trash, and human waste in the back yard area, and there’s a general concern from Bonita Leiber, Soulard Station co-chair, about safety. There was a broken window in the back of the building after people were asked to leave the property. Coincidentally, the window was broken the next day.
Jim said a few people have come up with an idea of expanding the current fencing at the Station, and Bonita is all for this. MGF sent out the requests for proposals for grant money at the beginning of December, and MGF grant requests are to be submitted by Jan. 2. Jim suggested writing to MGF to see if they’ll give money for the fencing. In the meantime, Bonita has written people and asked for their thoughts about what the fencing would look like; a diagram of the current wrought-iron fence; the 10-foot gate; and where the new fencing would be placed. Someone in Illinois gave an estimate of new 55-foot fencing at ~$10,500. The new fence will match the existing fence. Jim also said that if MGF declines the grant, he’d still support SRG funding and getting the fence.
Debby Brown asked that, if MGF doesn’t give the grant money, then does SRG need to bring the issue up with General Membership and get their support. Jim said that in the budget, between two lines for the Soulard Station, there’s $12,000 for improvements and beautification.
Gary Toribio said that MGF typically sends the requests for grants in the summer, but this time, it took them to December, with only 30 days to respond. If it takes them a long time to make the decisions on the grant money, it may be the next SRG budget cycle.
There was a discussion about what amount to request from MGF for the fence. It was decided to ask MGF for $10,000 for the fence, and SRG would cover whatever remains.
There was a question about having to complete MGF projects within a year. Gary said the project has to be started within the year the money is received with demonstrated progress.
There was a discussion about filling out the application for the MGF grant, and Jim asked if anyone wanted to help/approve it. It was agreed that Jim will fill out the application, and Abbey, Michael, and Gary will provide feedback.
7. Board Members Open Forum
Nancy Lambert, Board Liaison to the Parlour Tour committee, said the Parlour Tour will make $10,000 or more. Gary Toribio said there were a lot of people that put in a lot of effort, and asked if there needs to be some sort of appreciation with some key folks. Michael Pastore said it was a great thought, but this is done leading up to the Parlour Tour with the happy hour for homeowners, gatherings for research, and everyone joining the Fete de Noel. Nancy also said that we shouldn’t forget the sponsors, too. A letter from Michael (as President of SRG) would make them happy.
Gary asked Michael where he was in the process of having an SRG beer booth at Mardi Gras. Michael said he felt he hadn’t gotten an enormous amount of support from the Board for this, and he and Jim have learned the level of involvement with purchasing beer/liquor and licenses. Debby Brown asked how much the Mardi Gras beer booth made in the past. Michael said $12,000-15,000. Debby asked if there were SRG members interested in volunteering. Michael said getting volunteers would be pretty simple, but it all would depend on the weather.
Jim said he doesn’t want to pass up the chance to make $12,000-15,000 for SRG, but he’d like to have a full project and what needs to be done up until Mardi Gras. Gary said that his understanding was that MGI can have up to 26 liquor licenses for non-profits serving beer at Mardi Gras, and that MGI provides inventory. Nancy Lambert asked Michael if he wanted her and Gary to get the information from MGI. Michael agreed to this. It was decided that Michael and Jim would have more information about what was entailed in the Mardi Gras beer booth for the Board at the next meeting because there will probably be a budget request, too.
Gary said that the St. Louis Community College has their spring and early summer catalog available, and there’s a section about nonprofit management. He thinks that if anyone from the current Board, or those who become Board members, are interested in courses, then the Board could offer to help pay. Michael asked Gary to send the curriculum. SRG has sponsored Board members in the past taking various classes in hopes that the member would return something back to the community.
8. New Business
John Haas said that there would be a new chief of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departing starting soon and asked if someone should get in touch and see if he’s willing to speak at an upcoming General Membership meeting. He would like to hear what he has on his mind about changes. The sooner that SRG can make this request, the better it would be to get the new chief to a meeting earlier.
John said that, as a member of SRG, he’s completely against SRG money being spent on the fence there. He doesn’t think the building should belong to SRG, and there shouldn’t be any more money put into the building other than upkeep. If any funding is used for the fencing, John hopes that it will be put to a vote of SRG General Members. Michael said he noted this, but, as Jim pointed out, there’s a certain amount already budgeted for the Soulard Station, and if MGF grant money is received, it will offset the budget. If the Board or the Station started something new, that would have to go before the General Membership, but spending money approved in the budget doesn’t need approval again.
Gary said that he’s not sure the MGF grant money will be approved until after the new SRG budgeting cycle begins. If the timing isn’t quick for the grant money, then the next Board will need to identify the fencing, put it in the budget, and the membership will vote on it.
9. Adjourn
Nancy Lambert made the motion to adjourn the meeting. Debby Brown seconded.
All voted to adjourn the meeting at 9:09 p.m.